Rohit Jawa steps down as CEO and MD of HUL

Rohit Jawa, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), will step down from his role on July 31, 2025, the company informed in a regulatory filing. The company stated that Jawa will be moving on to pursue the next chapter of his personal and professional journey.

Priya Nair, currently the President-Beauty & Wellbeing at Unilever, will be appointed Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, HUL, effective August 1, 2025, succeeding Jawa.

Rohit took over as the CEO and MD of HUL in 2023. During his tenure of over two years, the company delivered volume-led competitive growth. He introduced the ‘ASPIRE’ strategy that is driving the business to transform portfolio and channels towards high-growth demand spaces.

Rohit has held many notable roles across his successful 37-year career, including Executive Vice President North Asia and Chair Unilever China, and Chair of Unilever Philippines, two of the most important Unilever operations, in which he achieved notable success. 

Thanking Rohit for his invaluable leadership, Nitin Paranjpe, Chairman HUL said, “On behalf of the Board of HUL, I would like to thank Rohit for leading the business through tough market conditions and strengthening its foundations for success. The Company took decisive actions to sharpen the portfolio and further stepped up its market leadership over the last two years.  I wish him the very best for the next chapter in his life.”

Rohit Jawa started his career with HUL as a management trainee in 1988. He has a proven track record of sustained business results across India, Southeast Asia, and North Asia. As EVP North Asia and Chairman Unilever China, Rohit helped transform the business into Unilever’s third largest globally. He developed a distinct strategic agenda for China, championed digitalisation and premiumisation, and steered the business very capably through the Covid crisis.

As the Chairman of Unilever Philippines, he led the business to become one of the top 10 markets for Unilever globally. He is deeply passionate about integrating the strength of traditional markets with digital technologies and future-fit business models.

Rohit has a bachelor’s degree from St Stephen’s College and an MBA from the Faculty of Management Studies, both at the University of Delhi, India. He is an alumnus of IMD Business School, Lausanne, Switzerland, where he completed the Breakthrough Program for Senior Executives in 2018. Rohit also completed the Advanced Management Program from Harvard Business School in 2022.

Rohit served as the founding Secretary for the Food Industry Asia, Singapore, in 2010 and Co-Chair of the 'Grow Asia Philippines' along with the Secretary of Agriculture, Philippines in 2015-16, a World Economic Forum initiative for inclusive business models in agriculture.

In addition, he served on the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) China board, a global, CEO-led collaboration for positive change. Since July, 2023 he is an Executive Committee Member of Vikaasa, a coalition that collaborates to accelerate India's progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. He is also a Trustee of Breach Candy Hospital.